Edwin L. Cox School of Business

Southern Methodist University, Edwin L. Cox School of Business History

Southern Methodist University, founded in 1911, is a private, coeducational institution affiliated with the Methodist Church. The 163-acre campus is located in a suburban area 5 miles north of downtown Dallas. Total undergraduate and graduate enrollment is approximately 11,000. Enrollment figures in the above capsule are approximate.

The Edwin L. Cox School of Business was founded in 1949 and is located on the main campus, in its own building, Fincher, Maguire, and Crow Buildings. Courses also are offered at Plano (MBA). The basic educational approach is a mixture of case method, lecture, discussion, and group projects.

Southern Methodist University, Edwin L. Cox School of Business Academics

The Cox School of Business offers the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Accounting (MSA), Master of Science in Entrepreneurship (MS), Master of Science in Management (MSM) as well as a joint degree in law (JD/MBA) and arts administration (MA/MBA). Other programs include foreign exchange with 15 countries and internships. The strongest areas of study are accounting, finance, marketing, business strategy, and entrepreneurship. The most popular courses are Finance, Marketing, and Entrepreneurial Studies. Regular programs bring distinguished speakers and visiting professors to campus.

Sixty total credits are required to complete the MBA, including 36 elective credits. Required courses include:

• Financial Accounting I
• Managerial Accounting
• Managerial Economics
• Managerial Finance
• Managerial Statistics
• Marketing Management
• Organizational Behavior
• Strategic Management
• Management Decision Analysis
• Managing Your Career
• Managerial Communication Skills
• Operations Management
• Global Leadership Program

Required courses for the MSA include:

• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Management Control Systems
• Auditing I and II
• Taxation I and II
• Financial Accounting I and II Required courses for the MSM include: * Managerial Economics * Strategic Management * Managerial Statistics * Organizational Behavior * Corporate Entrepreneurship: Intrapreneuring * Managerial Accounting l * Management Decision Analysis * Strategic Human Resources Management * Managerial Finance * Marketing Management * Operations Management * Finance Theory and Practice * Operations Management Strategy * Analytic Methods for New Product Development

Students may eliminate or substitute requirements by transferring a maximum of 8 credit hours from another AACSB school.

Business students may take relevant nonbusiness courses in other departments. The minimum time permitted to complete the master’s degree program attending full time is 22 months; maximum, 6 years. For students attending part time, the minimum is 2.5 years; maximum, 6 years.

There are 75 total full-time graduate business faculty; there are 30 part-time faculty. Faculty salaries are rated above average for Category I institutions, based on the AAUP rating system. Average business class size is 40.

Southern Methodist University, Edwin L. Cox School of Business Unique Programs

Library

The Business Information Center library houses a collection of more than 1.7 million volumes, 1 million microform items, and 12,305 audio/video tapes/CDs, and subscribes to 4980 periodicals. The business library is particularly strong in finance, marketing, and organizational behavior. Students have access to such databases and networks as Dow Jones, Bloomberg, Dialog, and numerous related CD-ROM databases. Other opportunities for research consist of the Cox School’s Business Information Center.

Computers

Graduate business students must have their own PCs. The business school has its own computer facilities.

Career and Job Placement

Majors most in demand by companies recruiting in a recent year, were finance, management, consulting, and marketing. Average starting salary of the graduating class was $71,235; range was $20,000 to $117,000. Placement services are extensive. Placement services for alumni include on-line resume center, job postings, and research hotlinks. Placement is available through MBA Career Management. Eighty percent of a recent graduating class found jobs within three months of receiving their degree.

International Students

International students must take the TOEFL. They also must submit a translation of their transcripts, proof of health consisting of the University Health Form, and proof of adequate funds to cover 1 calendar year of study. Financial aid is available for these students and consists of scholarships. Check with the school for current application deadlines.

Calendar

The school operates on a module basis. Semesters are 13 weeks long; summer sessions, 12 weeks. Graduate programs are offered during the day and evening and weekends.

Southern Methodist University, Edwin L. Cox School of Business Admissions

A bachelor’s degree is required. Most important admissions factors are management potential, maturity, and academic accomplishments and ability. A strong mathematics background is not required.

The number of applicants for a recent class was 336; 153 were accepted; 69 enrolled. The average GPA was 3.26; average GMAT score was 661. Transfers are not accepted. Minority students are actively recruited by memberships in minority associations and management leadership for tomorrow.

Students may begin the MBA program in the fall only. To apply, students must submit an application form, a transcript, GMAT scores, a nonrefundable application fee of $75, 2 letters of recommendation, and 2 essays. The application deadline is April 15 for fall entry. Students are notified 8 weeks after the application deadline of the admissions decision. Check with the school for the latest acceptable test date for fall entry.

Southern Methodist University, Edwin L. Cox School of Business Financial Aid

In a recent year, about 75% of graduate business school students received financial aid from scholarships, loans, and graduate assistantships. The FAFSA is required. The application deadline is open for fall entry.

Tuition for all students is $36,590 per year. On-campus room and board costs approximately $10,000; books and supplies, $2000; personal expenses, $5200; and other fees, $1431, for an estimated annual total of $55,221. Most students live off-campus. There is a referral service to help procure off-campus housing.

Southern Methodist University, Edwin L. Cox School of Business Students

Nineteen percent of a recent graduate business school class are enrolled full time; all had an average of 60 months of full-time work experience prior to entering graduate school, a factor preferred by the school. The greatest percentage of students were from Texas (49%). Twenty-five percent were women, 20% were minorities, and 22% were foreign nationals. The average age at entrance was 28; ages ranged from 25 to 33. Students’ undergraduate majors were as follows: 51%, business; 22%, engineering; 14%, social sciences; 7%, economics; 3%, liberal arts; and 3%, computer science. About 1% of entering students leave by the end of the first year due to academic or personal reasons; 99% remain to receive their degree.